Untitled
by WildernessGirlCookies
Summary: Aftermath of Harry's fight with Voldemort.Book 7.


2

Harry Potter Fan Fiction

This is for the people who didn't like the ending to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Don't get me wrong, it was a great book. I loved it, but that ending was just corny. This is for all you people who like drama like me. The following events take place directly after Harry's fight with Voldemort.

Voldemort fell to the ground, his wand slipping out of his hand for the last time as the last traces of life left his body. Harry stared in shock at his fallen foe. It was all over. He, Harry Potter, had triumphed over the dark lord. The Boy Who Lived had escaped deaths clutches once more. The faces of those who went before him flashed in his mind. Dumbledore, Sirius, Tonks, Lupin, Fred, his parents and Mad Eye Moody. Tears sprang into his eyes. They would never come back. There was no spell that could bring back the dead. He knew that.

Tears were now pouring down his face. It was all over. Where would he go now? What would he do? He felt himself slipping out of consciousness. It felt like dying. His legs gave way. They had no strength left to support him. They couldn't walk anymore. His wand slipped through his fingers onto the cold ground, like all his strength leaving him. A shell. Devoid of life.

His tired body hit the ground. He clutched at the grass, the only thing keeping him from falling any further. He felt alone, as if the multitudes of Hogwarts students surrounding him did not exist. Footsteps, hitting the ground like hail, coming towards him. Voices, calling him back from the darkness.

His tears stained the ground.

"Harry!" The voices of Ron, Hermione and Ginny barely audible above his own heavy breaths, his own anguished sobs. He curled up in a ball like a scared child alone in a dark room. He felt a hand on his head and on his back, as well as the advancing footsteps of the remaining students echoing through the ground.

Mutters of "Is he breathing?" could be heard amongst the crowd. Several hands reached out to touch him, but were warded off by Ginny.

"Clear off, the lot of you!" Her voice bold and commanding, as if she was protecting a child. Harry caught himself thinking how good a mother she would make. The crowd withdrew, leaving only Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione, and numerous teachers who saw fit to stand back, only to advance if called.

"Harry, are you alright?" Ginny whispered softly and sweetly, one hand on his back and the other pushing his fringe off his sweaty forehead. He couldn't look at her, or at Ron. Thinking their brother was dead because of him.

His face was buried in the grass and the tears had dried on his face and the only words he could muster were "I'm sorry".

His words were barely audible, but did not go unheard. "It's not your fault, Mate", Came Ron's voice. It was shaky, but not angry. It held none of the bitterness that Harry felt in his heart for himself. He wondered why he had lived and so many of his loved ones had not. Why had they been the ones to die?

"Come on, Harry. Let's go to the Common Room", Came Hermione's voice."Come in from the cold".

But Harry couldn't feel it. He couldn't feel anything. He turned his head to where Ginny was sitting, but didn't look at her. He instead focused his attention on Hagrid's hut."Hagrid", He muttered.

"Hagrid's fine, Harry", Ron spoke again," Come inside".

Harry clutched at the grass and slowly pushed himself up. "Here, Harry", Hermione handed him his wand, which he took and clutched tightly. Ron and Hermione each took an arm, and pulled him to his feet. He stepped gingerly forward, white faced and weak.

"You did well, Potter," Professor McGonagall said solemnly. Ginny followed behind them, seeming strong, but heartache was reflected in her eyes. And as they stepped through the arched door into the main hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, they knew it would never be the same again.

Once they arrived at the Gryffindor Common Room, they sat Harry in an armchair in front of the ever burning fire. They sat down on the adjacent couch .Ginny sitting in between Hermione and Ron, who was closest to the fire, gazing concernedly at Harry, who in turn gazed at the fire. He was thinking of the night he had talked to his godfather, Sirius, in the fire, in his fourth year at Hogwarts.

They had discussed Harry's nightmares about Voldemort's rise to power. Voldemort, whose servant, Bellatrix Lestrange had performed one of the unforgivable curses on Sirius. Harry had been going to live with him after it was all over, but Harry's hopes were dashed when Bellatrix performed Avada Kadavra and killed Sirius.

Once again Harry's eyes filled with angry tears. "There was nothing you could've done, Harry", Hermione whispered consolingly. She reached out and took his hand.

"They're all gone and it's my fault…Sirius, Dumbledore, Tonks, Lupin, Snape…Fred", Harry glanced at Ron and then at Ginny. Her eyes filled with tears and she pursed her lips. "Don't even think about blaming yourself, Harry. Fred knew the risks. They all did". Ron put an arm around his sister's shoulders. "She's right, Harry. Fred knew what he was doing", Ron said resolutely. A long silence followed, and Harry turned back and watched the fire, until the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and the other Weasley's and Professor McGonagall entered. George resembled a child that had lost his favourite toy. Percy's face was hidden in a handkerchief, in which he blew his nose as he entered.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both wore looks of worry, as well as sadness .Harry, dear?" Mrs. Weasley said sweetly. Harry stood up by himself for the first time all night and walked around the chair into Mrs. Weasley's arms. "I'm sorry" He sobbed. Mr. Weasley put his hand on Harry's back.

"We don't blame you, Harry" He said reassuringly. Ginny stood up and walked towards her father, who put his arms around her. On the couch, Hermione had grabbed Ron's hand and squeezed it. Ron returned the gesture. George stood rooted to the spot in shock. He did not speak, but silently blinked tears out of his eyes.

Professor McGonagall stood with hands folded and head bowed, tears falling down her face. The weather seemed to have sensed the atmosphere, because clouds had gathered outside and rain was beginning to fall on the silent grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A small light could just be seen in the window of Hagrid's hut. And Hagrid's massive form could just be seen, shaking with head bowed, in the dim light.

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin alike were all mourning the deaths of loved ones who had perished in the battle to save Hogwarts from the dark lord. And there were those who still lingered in the Great Hall with the bodies of the deceased, where the sky had also changed. The ceiling that was usually dark, but calm and clear with clouds drifting across it was now foggy and grey.

Bill and Fleur now entered Gryffindor Common Room. Bill's hair was disheveled and his face red with tears drying on it. And Fleur's face had dirt smears and smudges on it where tears had mingled with it , making her look as if she had been dragged through dirty water. Their hands were intertwined as they looked around the room. Harry had now sunk back into the armchair in front of the fire. Hermione's head rested on Ron's shoulder, the latter of which was now sleeping, not however peacefully. George and Ginny sat on the couch side by side, George with his arms around his younger sister. And Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who stood in silence looking mournfully down at their children.

"Mum. Dad", Bill said solemnly and Mrs. Weasley put her arms around her son, and then proceeded to embrace Fleur, and Mr. Weasley followed suit.

Professor McGonagall had retired to her office and was preparing to make an announcement to the students in honour of those who had fought and died so bravely.

Half an hour passed and the remaining students, teachers and parents had gathered in the Great Hall. House seating was abandoned and students instead mingled with loved ones in different houses. A silence had passed over the school as they never before experienced. Not even a Dementor could make the atmosphere more miserable than it was now.

The remaining teachers had gathered at the long table behind the podium leaving only Professor Minerva McGonagall standing behind the podium waiting to address the students. She didn't even bother to ask for their attention or to check whether they were indeed listening.

"A great tragedy has befallen Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We are in the process of mourning the loss of many students and teachers past and present. It is with a heavy heart that I announce the death of former Hogwarts teacher of Defense Against The Dark Arts, Remus Lupin as well as former student Fred Weasley".

Sobs could be heard amongst the students and friends attempted to comfort each other.

"Let us remember those who fought bravely to defend Hogwarts and its students with grateful hearts for their sacrifice. And may their lesson serve as an example to those of us who remain to fight for what we believe and never lose hope. And lastly, it is with a somewhat heavy heart that I assume the post of Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry".

Following the announcement in the Great Hall students proceeded back to Common Rooms, except Harry, who ventured back to Professor Dumbledore's office. The portraits were unusually but understandably silent and did not utter a word while Harry was present. Rather they wondered in and out of frames like ghosts with nowhere else to go and nothing to do.

Harry stopped at the winding staircase, beside the perch where Fawkes the Phoenix had once been and slid noiselessly down to the floor, curled up, hiding his head , hiding the tears that were once again falling down his cheeks.

"Do not carry the weight of the dead, Harry", Came a familiar voice. It was of course Dumbledore that spoke. Harry looked up at the portrait of Dumbledore hanging behind the desk. Dumbledore looked back at him, his eyes twinkling as they always did, behind the half moon spectacles.

"I wish none of this had happened".

"So do all who see such times. But that is not for us to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us". Harry wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up. He looked solemnly at the portrait of Dumbledore and Dumbledore looked back, but did not utter another word.

He looked back at Fawkes' perch and crossed to the door of Dumbledore's office, and walked down the winding staircase back to Gryffindor Common Room. As he entered Ginny who was still sitting on the couch stood up and walked toward him. He continued to walk forward, and held out his arms to her. She gladly walked into them, and Harry smiled the first genuine smile since Dumbledore's death.

Ginny pulled back slightly and gazed up at him, and he stroked her cheeks gently with his hands. The smile lingered on his face, and Ginny smiled back.

Ron and Hermione still sat side by side on the couch, Ron looking up bewildered, and Hermione smiling, half amused at Ron's reaction and relieved to see Harry smiling after so long. Ginny slowly drew closer to Harry until their lips met. And their arms folded around each other.

When they parted, Harry looked down at Ron, who still wore a look of absolute bewilderment.

"By the way, Ron. I'm in love with your sister", Harry smiled widely at him, and watched the look of incomprehension turn into a look of relief and mild amusement.

"If you hurt her, I'll kill you, alright?" Ron said then smiled back. Soon everyone was laughing, so much that tears formed in their eyes. Not tears of grief , but tears of happiness. Dumbledore's words lingered in Harry's mind and he smiled.

Do not carry the weight of the dead.


End file.
